Review – Kelly – 19/12/96
The “Science Alive!” exhibition “World of Whales” officially opened on Friday the 13th of December.
Judging from the huge crowds there today when I
went along, (admittedly, the entry was free which added considerably to its popularity), it will be a very successful display, despite the unlucky opening date.
The model whales are impressive; a Humpback and Orca flex their tails and swivel around slowly making reasonably convincing whale sounds, although for adults the low noise of a hydraulic mechanism might destroy some of the magic. The “interactive zones” are well presented and entertaining as well as being educational; you can dig up fossils, construct your own pilot whale, make a sperm whale breathe or read information about the effects of fishing nets and pollution on the whale population using computers in the ‘Issues Gallery’. Perhaps the most surprising thing about “The World of Whales” is the lack of signs saying “Do not touch”. It was great to see kids squeezing the rubbery nose of one of the sea creatures in the terrifying Giant Squid display.
The exhibits are a good combination of the visual and informative. I learnt some surprising evolutionary facts: whales originated from a similar species to the large, furry land-based “Andrewsarchus” which looks like a cross between a wolf and a wild boar. Difficult to imagine but apparently true. Another whale ancestor called, improbably, Basilosaurusus, is also on display. It closely resembles a very evil looking penguin with an eel-like body – a long evolutionary path away from the round, furry soft-toy whales being sold in the “Science Alive!” shop. The most unusual species featured was the real, live human diver from “Diver’s World” peering out at his audience from a glass tank.
The only drawback, perhaps an inevitable problem in an exhibition featuring huge moving whales, is the lack of space. On a less busy day it might be less noticeable, but when there are hordes of small children around, the underworld gloom can become slightly claustrophobic. On the positive side, there are plenty of comfortable seats to recuperate on. Overall the “World of Whales” is well worth visiting.
